PNP conducts ‘reenactment’ in Bree Jonson probe, says findings matched Ongpin story

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday continued its probe of the death of artist Bree Jonson at the La Union resort where she was found dead.

“Nag-produce kami ng kasing height niya na babae, personnel natin, at nag-conduct tayo ng reenactment,” PNP Regional Office regional director Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Peralta said in a report by Maki Pulido on 24 Oras.

[We produced a woman of the same height and conducted a reenactment.]

Jonson's body was found in the room she occupied with Julian Ongpin after police responded to a report of alleged suicide at the resort.

Mugshots of Ongpin, the son of businessman Roberto Ongpin, showed that he had wounds on his right arm. This is one of the reasons why Jonson’s mother believes that her daughter did not commit suicide and fought for her life.

Based on the autopsy report, the cause of Jonson's death was asphyxia.

Ongpin had told police that he got the wounds while attempting to break through a small window into the bathroom, where he saw Jonson unconscious.

Authorities inspected the said window and said it matched Ongpin’s testimony.

“Ang ginawa niya, bumalik nanaman siya sa room. May nakita siyang maliit na window doon sa ilalim ng CR, binasag niya. Doon siya sumuot, doon ‘yung may mga nails. Doon siya nasugatan,” Peralta said.

[What he did was he went back to the room. He saw a small window at the bottom of the CR and then he broke it. He tried to enter through that, where there were nails. He was wounded there.]

“Then from there, inilabas niya si Breana sa CR at inilagay doon sa unang bed sa room nila. That was when he called for help,” he added.

[From there, he brought Breana out of the CR and placed her on the bed. That was when he called for help.]

The medico-legal said there were no signs on Jonson and Ongpin’s bodies that showed struggle.

“Hindi ko pa dinidiklerang walang foul play or meron or suicide or hindi ito, no? Ang lumalabas dito sa imbestigasyon namin, more on possibility na walang foul play at maaring nag-commit ng suicide si Breana. Going to that angle,” Peralta said.

[I’m not declaring that there is no foul play or that it was suicide or not. But results of the investigation are leaning into a lack of foul play and that Breana may have committed suicide. Going to that angle.]

Ongpin had been charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 after finding 12 grams of cocaine in his room, but he was released by the provincial prosecutor while preliminary investigation was ongoing.

Authorities said Jonson’s urine also tested positive for cocaine. —Joahna Lei Casilao/JST, GMA News